Megan Rapinoe Day in Redding; World Cup soccer star honored with celebration, parade

Family, friends, fans and supporters of Megan Rapinoe gathered at the Market Street Promenade in Redding for a parade honoring the 26-year-old World Cup soccer star.

None

World Cup soccer star and Redding native Megan Rapinoe rides through downtown Redding in a convertible driven by Redding Mayor Missy McArthur. The Saturday mini-parade was part of Megan Rapinoe Day in Redding.

Megan Rapinoe receives a plaque Saturday as part of her homecoming celebration in downtown Redding.

Fans of Megan Rapinoe take pictures while she gets a ride Saturday in a mini-parade in her honor at the Market Street Promenade.

A crowd of more than 400 admirers were on hand Saturday evening for Megan Rapinoe's homecoming celebration at the Redding Soccer Park.

The event was part of a long day for Rapinoe after she was feted earlier with a small parade downtown.

The special event at the soccer park was put on by the park's staff and the city of the Redding to honor Rapinoe, a Foothill High School graduate and Redding native, who played for the U.S. at the Women's World Cup soccer tournament in Germany this summer.

"This is pretty amazing," Rapinoe said. "I keep being overwhelmed and surprised by all the local support I've gotten."

At the World Cup, Rapinoe distinguished herself by scoring a goal for the U.S. and assisting on three others, including a dramatic one to teammate Abby Wambach during a World Cup quarterfinal match against Brazil.

The Redding City Council declared Saturday as "Megan Rapinoe Day." The soccer park event served as a homecoming party of sorts for Rapinoe.

"It is exciting for a hometown girl to make it on the world stage," said Kim Niemer, director of community services for the city of Redding. "We're fortunate to have a $7 million soccer park here, so it was only natural to hold the event here. She made a name for herself in soccer and has appeared on ESPN and 'Good Morning, America' because of it."

Mike Mangas, a KRCR-TV anchorman, emceed the event. Redding Mayor Missy McArthur also spoke, as did Junction School Principal Jim Boesiger and Foothill High School Athletic Director Troy Wellington. Rapinoe attended Junction School District for elementary and middle school before moving on to Foothill. Organizers planned to show a video of Rapinoe's World Cup highlights.

"It is like a little down memory lane for me," Rapinoe said.

Fans bought Rapinoe posters and took photos with a life-size cutout of her. The guest of honor freely autographed items before and after the event.

Kendra Arnerich, 11, of Anderson, came with her father and brought along a soccer ball to be signed.

"I watched her in a couple of the World Cup games," Kendra said. "She is my soccer idol, so it is pretty exciting to be here."

Some younger fans who already had met Rapinoe came to experience the atmosphere of the event.

"I came here to see all of this," said Jennifer Cusiter, 11, of Redding. "I think it is amazing for someone from a little town like Redding to become so famous."

Former classmates also attended the event. Kim Haedrich and Jenna Tidwell, both 25, graduated Foothill the same year as Rapinoe did.

"It is awesome to see something like this for her," Haedrich said. "She is still the same person we knew back at Foothill. To see all the little ones look up to her now is pretty cool."

The city, in conjunction with the Redding Soccer Park, set up the event.

The celebration began just before 11 a.m., as a crowd of about 30, which more than doubled in size before the parade was over, congregated in front of Grilla Bites in the Market Street Promenade in near triple-digit heat.

Rapinoe signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans before piling in a Chrysler Sebring convertible with family members.

"It's been amazing the kind of support I've been able to get," Rapinoe said to the crowd.

McArthur drove the group through the Promenade to Placer Street, turned around and stopped in front of Need2Speed, where Rapinoe posed for more pictures, eventually settling inside to sign autographs.

The crowd chanted "Megan! USA!" as the car made its trek through the Promenade.

John Truitt, executive director of Viva Downtown Redding, said the gathering was a nice show of support.